UPDATE 2022: Grooveshark shut down their service in 2015. Hence, we are no longer updating this article. For more info about the best VPN apps, click here!
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
Grooves hark is an online audio streaming service that will let you play your favourite music like you do on the request shows on a radio station. By using this service, you can actually listen to literally any music available in their database. The usage system of Groove shark is pretty simple. They have different set of services available for the users. Besides the free services you can also use the premium services as well. On a free service account a user can instantly search, listen and create playlists for his or her preferred set of music. And if you are a registered user, you can even save your playlists for future listening and you will also be able to use other premium services through the subscription.
Why Groove shark is discontinuing in many countries?
The web service of Groove shark actually runs on the payments received by the users and through the sponsorships they receive from the advertisers. In the recent years, the amount of advertisement they receive has decreased by a significant amount and therefore they have decided to stop their services in many countries, especially in the countries where they do not get enough sponsors to support their services, so that they can provide better services for the sponsored country users. Besides, the fees rendered to the German copyrighted music contents are extremely high compared to other countries. Therefore Groove shark do not find it anymore economic to continue their operation in Germany anymore. Even the people who had their accounts registered, cannot anymore access to the services rendered by the Grooves hark service. This service has started to use the IP tracking and blocking system to track the users’ locations like many other web based services around the world. Because of this system, Groove shark can identify the internet access point through the IP address and if you try to access their service from Germany, you will see the notice saying that you are not allowed to access their service from Germany.
What exactly is an IP address?
Since you are being blocked to use the service of Groove shark based on your IP address, you might be wondering what an IP address is? Well, the term IP address is the short form of Internet Protocol address and is the virtual identity of your internet access point assigned to you. Usually this assignment is done by your local or national Internet Service Provider. And this IP address is connected to the physical address of the internet adapters that have unique addresses and even though your IP address can be shared ones, it will still bear the location of your internet access, if not to the exact point of access.
VPN – the method for you to bypass the IP blocking and continue using Groove shark:
You probably already got the clue that the only way to access Groove shark is through the alternation of your IP address. And in order to IP address you have to get help of technology. This amazing technology is called the Virtual private Network or the VPN technology. This method had actually been developed to let the remote users log into a remote server, and to let them use the private network that the server is connected to. Based on that, nowadays a number of VPN service providers have developed a way whereby the users from all over the world can connect to the servers situated in some other countries or perhaps in the same country whenever they need an IP masking. When a user subscribes to a VPN service provider, the user is given a set of password and username for the authentication purpose. There is a VPN client installed in the users’ machine to establish the connection between the users’ machine and the VPN server. Using that client software, user get connected to the VPN server over the public network of internet. However, the communication channel between the user and the server is hidden behind the encryption codes used by both the users VPN client and the VPN server. Therefore, when then user request for anything after being connected to the VPN server, the original identity of the user is completely hidden.
Therefore, if you want to get access to the Groove shark service even when you are using internet from within Germany, you will see that this VPN service has been able to give you an alternative IP address that is showing up as your identity and that IP address can be from any of your chosen country. So the IP tracking employed by the Groove shark service will not work on you and you will not be blocked anymore.
What other benefits does a VPN service offer?
A VPN service does not only hide your identity and let you access to blocked groove shark service. It has got many other benefits as well. Everyone knows about the increasing amount of information theft and illegal attacks that can put the users in great trouble. However, if you are using a VPN service, you will get an additional layer of protection against these sorts of cyber crimes. The data transfer channel between the VPN server and the user is very strong and it protects the user from all sorts of third party monitoring and attacks. Besides, the VPN service providers ensure highly secured system for their servers. Therefore, you will get a very safe and secure environment while you are using a VPN service.
Which VPN are on the top of the list?
However, not every other VPN service provider will serve you as you want them to. You need to get a service that is reliable, consistent and have a very good customer care centre. Since VPN is a technical method, the service providers should be able to provide you the required technical help that you might be needing while you will be using this service. In terms of all the service requirements, Hide My ass service providers tops the list where a few other follows them. The list that has been created based on the quality of service and customers’ feedback is added here for your convenience.
| Rank | Provider | Starting Price |
| 1 | Hidemyass | $11.52/ Month |
| 2 | ExpressVPN | $12.95/Month |
| 3 | StrongVPN | $21/ 3 Months |
| 4 | IAPS | $12.95/Month |
| 5 | VyprVPN | $14.95/Month |